Somebody took a flash photo of Audra and Michael's nude scene today

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 7/21/19 at 8:38pm

https://twitter.com/AudraEqualityMc/status/1153037192941490176

Absolutely disgusting. I hope that whoever did it is caught, made to delete the photo, and sued. What a gross violation of privacy and a total lack of respect and decency.

[rg7759]

Posted: 7/21/19 at 9:18pm

Well. That is a sad day for broadway.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 7/21/19 at 9:34pm

So damn sick. I hope they find the person and charge him/her

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 7/21/19 at 10:08pm

I assume the ushers did absolutely nothing, as usual. Not cool, indeed.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 7/21/19 at 10:46pm

TotallyEffed said: "I assume the ushers did absolutely nothing, as usual. Not cool, indeed."

What are they supposed to do? Contrary to popular belief, the ushers are often unable to locate these offenders because the phone/camera may be out of their sight. Also,  many producers don't want the ushers disrupting the other people by enforcing the rules during a performance.  And finally, according to the usher's union, usher's are not required to approach the offending party; they are only required to notify security with the offender's seat location.  But I guess understanding that would prevent you from blaming the ushers for bad theater behavior. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/21/19 at 10:51pm

This is disgusting, of course. But if it's any consolation, I seriously doubt the picture actually captured anything if they really did use the flash from any distance. 

I realize of course that this isn't the point. But I think it's a silver lining that at this this creep probably didn't achieve their goal. 

[roseaddams]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 2:05am

Let’s applaud the ushers for not trying to reprimand someone for breaking theater rules and committing harassment ‘cause technically they don’t have to!!!

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 2:37am

SmoothLover said: "Fosse76 said: "TotallyEffed said: "I assume the ushers did absolutely nothing, as usual. Not cool, indeed."

What are they supposed to do? Contrary to popular belief, the ushers are often unable tolocate these offenders because the phone/camera may be out of their sight. Also, many producers don't want the ushers disrupting the other people by enforcing the rules during a performance. And finally,according tothe usher'sunion, usher's are not required to approach the offending party; they are only required to notify security with the offender'sseat location. But I guess understanding that would prevent you from blaming the ushers for bad theater behavior."



<<edited by BWW staff>>

Back to the topic: I realize the ushers can’t force people into behaving well in the theatre but I have seen them become more and more lax over the years. I have seen them ignore people using their phones many, MANY times. I’m frankly sick of it. And now people are taking flash photographs of nude actors on stage. It’s not right.

Updated On: 7/22/19 at 02:37 AM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 6:09am

Unless the usher is standing right next to the perp while they take the pix, it's impossible to know who did it - unless they are stupid enough to constantly be taking pictures. Sure, they can get an idea but wouldnt be able to pinpoint it with any accuracy.

And to those saying you hope they are caught- there is no search party, no one is looking.

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 8:17am

If they left their phone in auto mode and took it with a flash, there's nothing to worry about... aside from the fact that they thought it was OK to take it.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 9:53am

I worked a show for s number of years and it’s now just basically impossible to stop people from being on their phones. I saw ushers try so hard to keep it under control but there’s only so much they can do. When they come over with that flashlight during show and tell someone to stop - imagine if they did that constantly during a show, to everyone who pulled a phone out. It would be impossible to focus on what was on the stage as you’d be looking at the commotion happening in the audience. So when people say they’ve become more lax, I think it’s just that audiences have become SO MUCH worse and harder for a tiny group of ushers to handle. And it doesn’t help for a show like “Frankie and Johnny” when there’s no pre-show announcement telling people to put their phones away. And remember, at each performance of a show (any show), the audience will have a large number of people who don't know “the rules” and need to hear it before the performance starts.

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 9:53am

I remember when I saw “Take Me Out”, before the nude scenes occurred security would stand in the side aisles specifically watching the audience and looking for anyone taking pictures. I think I’ve seen other shows that did the same.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 9:57am

Cape Twirl of Doom said: "I remember when I saw “Take Me Out”, before the nude scenes occurred security would stand in the side aisles specifically watching the audience and looking for anyone taking pictures. I think I’ve seen other shows that did the same. "

If I remember correctly, they did this with “Equus”, as well. 

 

[LuminousBeing]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 10:10am

If I remember correctly, they did this with “Equus”, as well.

You remember correctly. They also didn't sell the box seats to "Equus" - either due to photography fears or to keep people from throwing things at Dan Radcliffe (who at the time was at the height of HP fame and it was his first time on Broadway).

 

[magictodo123]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 10:10am

And the worst part is that even if someone like Audra McDonald expresses her frustration about this, people will continue to record, audio record, and take photos. 

[BJR]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 10:38am

The ushers would stand in the aisles just before Dolly's entrance to the Harmonia Gardens, too. Each time I saw it, I think I saw someone try to take a picture and them come running over with the flashlight. They were serious not to have that moment filmed.

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 12:22pm

I've been to performances that had nudity, and they made it clear no photos were allowed, and that the police would be involved if photos were taken. Could something like that happen with this?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 12:28pm

Not once the patrons have left the theater!

[cwilliams]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 1:09pm

Too many people think being on their cell phone at the theater or when seeing a movie is not a big deal, granted I don't think most people see it that way, but a large enough group do to cause audiences to have a bad experience. I was sitting about 5 rows back from a woman who took out her phone during several numbers in Act 1 of Aladdin and started filming them, I was kind of surprised that no one sitting next to her or directly behind her told her to put it away, if for no other reason than her screen was distracting. During the intermission I walked up to her and told her if she took her phone out in act 2 I would report her to security, maybe because I teach high school I'm more willing to call someone out on their bad behavior, but I do feel folks should "self police" more, and yes I know it's not an audiences "job to do that" but if someone next to you is filming I see nothing wrong with a least making an attempt to ask them to stop.

I also feel Broadway theaters are frankly too "polite" with their pre show announcements. Because too many people dont think being on their phone is a serious issue I think theaters should be more direct and stern with their announcements and frankly with enforcement. The only movie theater I ever go to is Alamo Drafthouse, and it is because of their 0 tolerance policy when it comes to cell phone use, and I've seen people kicked out because of it. I've attached their pre show message to this post. Some will say you cant kick out someone from a Broadway show because it would be too disruptive, but I wonder how many times a news story run about a person being removed from a Broadway house without a refund for being on their cell phone would cause people to take the issue more seriously. Maybe it wouldn't, but I agree with others who have said something more should be done. https://youtu.be/LJwMqzt0mw4

[schubox]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 1:42pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I worked a show for s number of years and it’s now just basically impossible to stop people from being on their phones. I saw ushers try so hard to keep it under control but there’s only so much they can do. When they come over with that flashlight during show and tell someone to stop - imagine if they did that constantly during a show, to everyone who pulled a phone out. It would be impossible to focus on what was on the stage as you’d be looking at the commotion happening in the audience. So when people say they’ve become more lax, I think it’s just that audiences have become SO MUCH worse and harder for a tiny group of ushers to handle. And it doesn’t help for a show like “Frankie and Johnny” when there’s no pre-show announcement telling people to put their phones away. And remember, at each performance of a show (any show), the audience will have a large number of people who don't know “the rules” and need to hear it before the performance starts. "

This is very true. I was at a matinee of Waitress and during the last song someone started recording and an usher came down and did the flashlight/strobe thing and it was way more distracting than a person holding a phone that I didn’t even notice. It’s a total catch 22 for ushers. If only people would stop being assholes 

[LuPita2]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 3:08pm

I don't know who decides how usher's should act or anything, but in contrast to Newsies (an entire group of women were on their phones during the entire first act in front of me, and security did nothing) versus when I saw Hedwig with NPH. Those guys were aggressive, awesome, and super vigilant. I think we need more of that.  Anyone with any usher experience, please tell me if they have a meeting regarding your conduct, and what you should do regarding a terrible patron.

If only people would stop being assholes

If only. 

[blm2323]

Posted: 7/22/19 at 3:33pm

I’ve seen a lot of shows this summer and it actually seems to me audience behavior has been better. I am not one to be afraid to tell someone to put away their phone. Out of 25+ shows I only had to do it once (always nicely the first time :) )

Oklahoma’s preshow and second act announcementis are the best. Blunt and to the point. Saw it twice and not a phone to be seen.

Now, the candy wrappers....ugh.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 7/23/19 at 4:27am

It is up to theatre owners to make decisions about what to do when situations like this occur. The ushers are just following orders. It seems to me if a play contains nudity then security guards should be in the theatre to confiscate the cameras. 

[magictodo123]

Posted: 7/23/19 at 5:44am

LuPita2 said: "I don't know who decides how usher's should act or anything, but in contrast to Newsies (an entire group of women were on their phones during the entire first act in front of me, and security did nothing) versus when I saw Hedwig with NPH. Those guys were aggressive, awesome, and super vigilant. I think we need more of that. Anyone with any usher experience, please tell me if they have a meeting regarding your conduct, and what you should do regarding a terrible patron.

If only people would stop being assholes

If only."

When I was an usher, the theater I worked for operated on a three strike policy. The first time we saw someone on their phone,  we’d just ask them to put it away/turn it off. The second time, we’d alert our house manager. The third time, house management would actually come into the theater to keep an eye on them/tell them they had to put it away. There were some cases where they were asked to delete whatever they took. I’ve never seen a bootleg from this particular theater. 

[ArtMan]

Posted: 7/23/19 at 7:44am

Jordan Catalano said: "Cape Twirl of Doom said: "I remember when I saw “Take Me Out”, before the nude scenes occurred security would stand in the side aisles specifically watching the audience and looking for anyone taking pictures. I think I’ve seen other shows that did the same. "

If I remember correctly, they did this with “Equus”, as well.

"But did having security work?  I recall seeing nude pictures on the internet of Daniel from the stage of Equus.